Lokshen Kugel With Plums

8 ounces egg noodles

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan

8 cups small-curd cottage cheese

8 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces, at room temperature

2 cups whole milk

¼ cup sour cream

3 large eggs

½ cup pure maple syrup or granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 teaspoons ground cinnamon

6 tablespoons light brown sugar

About 1½ pounds plums, pitted and sliced

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles just until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add the butter and stir gently to coat the noodles. Set aside.

In a large bowl with high sides, whisk together the cottage cheese and cream cheese until fluffy. (Alternatively, use a hand mixer.) One at a time, add the milk, sour cream, eggs, maple syrup or sugar, and vanilla, whisking to incorporate after adding each ingredient.

Add the cottage cheese mixture to the bowl with the egg noodles and gently combine. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the kugel, uncovered, for 45 minutes, then top decoratively with the plums and sprinkle with the cinnamon and brown sugar. Bake for 30 minutes more, until the fruit has softened and released its juices. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 12

Nutrition information per serving: 364 calories; 170 calories from fat; 19 g fat (11 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 130 mg cholesterol; 189 mg sodium; 40 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 25 g sugar; 10 g protein.

Excerpted from the book "The Gefilte Manifesto" by Jeffrey Yoskowitz and Liz Alpern